The Cherry Orchard might actually catch some of you off guard. It’s not as existential on its surface as The Skin of Our Teeth and it’s nowhere near as absurd as Happy Days; however, I would argue there are moments in The Cherry Orchard which are more absurd and unconventional than either of the aforementioned plays.
But as you read the first act, your concerns should rest otherwise. First, get familiar with the characters and know their relationships with each other. Especially important is Lyuba, Anya, Varya, and Gayev, but do not under estimate the importance of characters such as Firs or Dunyasha. They are as important – if not more important – than the protagonists of our play. It is in characters like Firs and Dunyasha where the audience can see the absurd and the peculiar (and maybe even the truth of the play).
Once you get over the names, what you will find is an incredibly layered and complex play. The more familiar you get with this family, the more the individual choices of the characters seem insane. Where you will see the existential and absurd come into play is in communication. Take notice of which characters are paying attention to which characters, and look at how well they are communicating with each other. Unlike The Skin of Our Teeth where everyone is affected by everyone else, the people in The Cherry Orchard often times do not answer the question they were asked or randomly say something bizarre - “pickles” or even “moo!” come to mind.
The story also deals heavily with symbolism – primo numero uno is The Cherry Orchard, but there are many more. Think about how this story is both similar to The Skin of Our Teeth and Happy Days, and also think how different The Cherry Orchard is in comparison to those. Good luck in your reading – any questions or comments on this play feel free to post here.
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